Spengler “Attracted” to Formula E After Test

DTM champion Bruno Spengler was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Andretti Formula E car after enjoying a maiden test in Marrakesh earlier this month, piquing his interest in the series.

The BMW factory driver’s running was compromised in the afternoon session as a technical issue limited him to just 27 laps, but the Canadian took ninth position in the morning running, lapping within 0.6 seconds of the fastest lap set by Paul di Resta’s Jaguar.

“It was a surprising experience, I have to say, because you go out of the pits and you don’t expect to have so much power so quickly,” Spengler told e-racing365.

“I like it but it was a learning process and there is a lot of stuff to absorb with ‘regen’, coasting and all of which I am not used to. But the car itself was a lot of fun to drive.”

The 34 year-old had not driven a single-seater since a 2004 Formula 3 Euroseries campaign with Mucke Motorsport, and has been racing in DTM ever since.

“It is very different to the DTM as there you have no downforce, you don’t have slick tyres and the wheels lock quite easily, so it is a challenge to drive,” Spengler said.

“It is very different for me, but I like it and I enjoyed the running despite the issues in the afternoon.”

Spengler, who will undertake a 14th consecutive DTM campaign this season driving for the BMW Team RBM squad, indicated that he enjoys watching the all-electric championship and that he would be “attracted” to racing in the series.

“Watching it and being here for the first time this weekend and seeing everything and the whole show is impressive,” said Spengler.

“I am impressed because in the races there are a lot of things happening. You have overtaking, cars touching, it is interesting racing, it looks like it is fun racing.

“When I talk to my [DTM] teammates and competitors they also say it is exciting to race there, so for sure I would like to have a taste of racing in Formula E as it is very attractive when you watch it from the outside as a driver. I am attracted to it because it is different, it is new and because the show is so good.”

Sam Smith is e-racing365's Formula E Editor. A 20-year veteran in motorsports media, including press officer roles in both the FIA Sportscar Championship and at Lola Group, Smith is a well-known face in the Formula E paddock, where he served as series editor for Motorsport.com from 2014-17. Contact Sam